LA PLATA, Md. (Aug. 15, 2008)—Civista Medical Center has been selected as one of 25 hospitals nationwide to be honored as most improved for its use of information technology to enhance the quality of health care.

The 2008 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study is said to be one of the leading IT benchmarking tools available in health care. Open to all hospitals and health systems, the survey taken since 1999, uses the results to name the 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems. It focuses on how the nation's hospitals use information technologies in five key areas: quality, customer service, business processes, work force issues, and public health and safety.

The award is given by Hospitals and Health Networks magazine, a journal of the American Hospital Association. The 25 hospitals who receive the Most Improved Award are organizations whose score improved the most from 2007 to 2008. Civista Medical Center received this award in 2006 and is the only Maryland hospital to be so recognized this year.

In 2006 Civista was also named the Charles County Technology Company of the Year through the College of Southern Maryland's Leading Edge Award program.

"This is a significant honor for Civista and our Information Systems Department, "said Chris Stefanides, president and CEO of Civista Health System. "This award reflects the ongoing commitment of the board of directors to improving our information technology."

One of the key IT improvements implemented by Civista is PACS, a picture archiving communications system which gives clinicians and physicians immediate access to patient images when and where they need to view them, resulting in timelier, more cost effective patient care.

"Civista continues to lead the way in the health care sector with strategic investments in technology to support higher quality patient care," said Kevin Burbules, Civista Health's Chief Information Officer. "We work with our care providers and executive staff to implement clinical systems that will enhance patient care, increase patient safety, eliminate waste and reduce the potential for medical errors."

According to Burbules, "From a patient care standpoint many of the questions and central themes of the Most Wired survey have to do with identifying what we are doing to make our hospital a safer hospital, a better source for health-oriented information for our patients and our community, and what we are doing to promote quality. It isn't a contest to see who can install the most technology in their hospital. They are not looking for hospitals that have turned themselves into IT hobby shops."

Burbules noted the award reaffirms the organizations commitment to technology. "We are now being recognized for pursuing best practices and making good sound investments in information technology. The first imperative in our IT business plan is to ensure patient safety, strengthen quality and provide compassionate care while promoting a high degree of customer service. We want to become one of those hospitals who are annually recognized as Most Wired. We will continue to get better, to push forward, to invest wisely to benefit our community."